5 Links to Consider | April 30, 2025
A round-up of this week's compelling and considered clicks, compiled from The Absolute Sound's veteran staff of experts and reviewers.
As TikTok continues to face the potential impact of the US’s “divest-or-ban” law aimed at the app, the platform is ramping up its efforts to highlight its importance to the music industry. In December, as part of its Year-End Music Report for 2024, TikTok reported that 13 of the 16 tracks that reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 last year were in some way linked to a trend on TikTok.
Source: TikTok Music Impact Report 2024 The Surprising Impact Music Has On Wine
After twenty years in the wine trade I’ve heard my fair share of sales propaganda. The idea that playing Bach or Brahms to the barrel improves its contents was up there with the best of it. Nevertheless, there’s growing evidence that a steady flow of vibrations can help with a wine’s gentle maturation and development. What’s more, studies are also demonstrating that pairing music with wine can change, even improve, our perception of what’s in the glass. So next time you find your Pinot Grigio too flat, or your Zinfandel too sweet, changing the playlist might help. Read the full article...
In a trial, about 2700 liters of Pinot Gris are to be exposed to classical music via a loudspeaker in an oak barrel. Your Cells Can Hear: How Sound Waves Rewire the Body at the Cellular Level
Sound doesn’t just enter your ears – it may actually talk to your cells. New research out of Kyoto University shows that acoustic waves, even those in the audible range, can alter cellular behavior. Using specially designed equipment, scientists found that sound can suppress the formation of fat cells and influence gene activity. These surprising findings open the door to non-invasive treatments that harness sound to affect our bodies at the cellular level.
Researchers have found that sound can influence cells directly, including suppressing fat cell development and activating certain genes – suggesting a future where acoustic therapy could aid medicine. Credit: SciTechDaily.com
The Origins of Music - The Story of Guido - Music History Crash Course
"Today, we continue our look at the origins of music with the story of Guido d'Arezzo - one of the greatest music educators of his time."
Last Date by Floyd Cramer (1960)
"Last Date" is a 1960 instrumental hit by American pianist Floyd Cramer. Known for its distinctive "slip note" piano style, the song became his signature piece. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over a million copies. Cramer, a key figure in the Nashville sound, influenced generations of pianists with this mournful yet elegant melody.
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